By rabbit75_fot @Adobe Stock
Al Jazeera Staff report a new terrifying Ukrainian weapon being used against Russia as videos emerge confirming its existence. It’s hell on earth as the drones drop molten thermite, which can generate heat up to 2,200 degrees Celsius on Russian troops’ positions. They write:
Dragon drones carry a substance called thermite. The mixture is made from metal powder – most often aluminium – and powdered iron oxide or rust.
Thermite is not explosive, but generates heat at such extreme temperatures – more than 2,200 degrees Celsius (4,000 degrees Fahrenheit) – that it burns through and damages nearly any material – clothing, trees and foliage, even military-grade vehicles. It can also burn underwater. […]
A “dragon drone” in the Kharkiv direction.
: 42nd Mechanized Brigade pic.twitter.com/4M1qAJdx3o
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 4, 2024
Combining thermite with high-precision drones that can bypass traditional defences makes dragon drones “highly effective” and “dangerous”, according to the United Kingdom-based anti-war advocacy organization Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).
Dragon drones tend to be low-flying because thermite is more effective when it’s in close contact with the target. Aside from delivering significant damage on their own, the weapons are also likely aiding Ukrainian units with reconnaissance missions. With foliage cover burned off, follow-up bombing campaigns are likely to be more precise, analysts say.
Some of the drones are believed to be developed by Ukrainian startup Steel Hornets, a private unmanned weapons systems manufacturer. The company’s thermite offerings include a light weapon it claims can burn through 4mm metal in under 10 seconds. […]
“Imagine: out of nowhere, fire starts raining down from the sky, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. You can’t put it out with water. Your comrades are screaming, caught in flames, like human torches.”
However, Ukraine appears to have limited thermite capabilities at the moment, the analyst added, so it is unclear how much Kyiv can — or plans to — use them as a mainstream weapon.
Some experts believe Russia could also ramp up its use of dragon drones if they prove effective for Ukraine.
Read more here.
